This invention relates to electrical power generation and is particularly concerned with providing a photon power cell for converting the energy of photons of light into electrical energy.
Various types of electrical power sources are known, ranging from small batteries to large power stations, and including solar cells which use the photo-electric effect to convert the energy of photons of light, typically sunlight, to electrical energy. There is, however, a requirement for portable electrical power generation for a multitude of applications from consumer electronics, such as CD players, radios, mobile telephone and portable computers, to higher power consumption applications, such as electric carts and cars.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a photon power cell comprising:
at least one photo-electric cell, and a radioactive-energised fluorescent material wherein photons from the radioactive-energised fluorescent material are converted into electrical energy by the photo-electric cell.
Preferably, the photo-electric cell comprises a plurality of solar cells and the radioactive-energised fluorescent material is applied to each of the solar cells.
Each solar cell wafer may conveniently comprise an industry standard silicon wafer of P-type material with diffused coatings of N-type material, such as phosphorus, applied to both major surfaces of the wafer.
However, other types of solar cells may be utilised in the present invention, for example a solar cell having a wafer of N-type material between layers of P-type material.
The photo-electric cell preferably includes one or more layers of a filter material which is substantially transparent to photons within a required frequency spectrum to produce the photo-electric effect, but which absorbs unwanted radioactive particles from the radioactive energised fluorescent material.
The layers of filter material are preferably provided between the or each solar cell wafer and the radioactive-energised fluorescent material.
In one preferred embodiment, the or each filter layer comprises glass to which radioactive particle absorbing material is added.
The radioactive energised fluorescent material may be applied to the filter layers either as a continuous coating or as a discontinuous coating, such as in substantially parallel lines or as a sputter sprayed coating.
The radioactive energised fluorescent material is preferably a chemical-radioactive fluorescent. Examples of suitable chemical-radioactive fluorescents suitable for use in the present invention include uranium-fluoride based fluorescents and tritium-phosphorus fluorescents. It will, however, be appreciated that various other chemical-radioactive fluorescent materials may be used in the present invention, including xe2x80x9clight fluorescentsxe2x80x9d in fluid form which are suitable for use in larger power applications.